It's no surprise that electric cars and hybrids are scoring highly though. Electric cars are very simple, and even hybrids are often no more complicated than non-hybrids--the planetary gearset in a Prius hybrid has fewer moving parts than a regular automatic, manual or CVT.

If recent studies by Consumer Reports on battery life are anything to go by, that's not proving a problem either. “We’ve got Priuses out there with 200,000 miles on them and 12 years in service,” explains Jake Fisher, director of automotive testing at Consumer Reports.

And our own research into battery replacement cost suggests that even when a battery needs replacing, the cost isn't quite as prohibitive as some expect. The longevity of newer lithium-ion batteries is yet to be fully ascertained, however.

Only the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid scored lower than average for predicted reliability in the tests.

Own a hybrid? Let us know how it's holding up, by leaving your thoughts below.